Pancreatic Cancer Patient Stories

I’m 75 years old, which is pretty amazing when it comes to surviving pancreatic cancer, especially since I was diagnosed when I was 53.

Initially, when I went in with abdominal pain and trouble eating, my doctor treated me for an ulcer because I didn’t fit the profile for someone with cancer — there was no history of cancer in my family, and I was in good physical shape.

I’m a naturally optimistic person, and I really believe having a positive attitude matters. But that belief was put to the test in 2022 when, at 57 years old, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

In January 2022, I listened to my body, and it may have saved my life. I initially went to the doctor because I had hemorrhoids that had been acting up for about a week. Not only was an over-the-counter medication not working, but I had also noticed a change in the color of my stool. Together, these were red flags that something wasn’t right.

In September of 2022 I was a healthy retiree, living with my husband and enjoying life. A year later, I am a pancreatic cancer survivor.

Last year, I began to have gastrointestinal issues that concerned me. All of my life, I’ve had issues with going to the bathroom, but my doctors always told me that what might be abnormal for other people might be normal for me.

My wife Catrina was the first to notice something was wrong. I remember we were out playing Topgolf one day when she told me that the whites of my eyes looked really yellow. Later on, my skin would start to itch, and my urine would turn a dark shade of yellow, but my eyes were the first to show any signs. I told her that I felt fine, but she insisted that I should get it checked out.